Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough.

"This time I decided to vote only for Arab parties. Why? Because I think that they should be (the ones) representing me", said Farig.

An Arab citizen of Israel like most people in the town of Kufr Qassem in central Israel, the 54-year-old was a lifelong supporter of the Israeli Labour Party, dominated by the country's Jewish majority.

But he said that he was fed up with Israel's Arab population being the target of constant scorn by the Jewish right.

He saw Tuesday's elections as an opportunity to help oust right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, so he switched his vote.

He was part of a surge that, according to results so far, show Arab parties running together under the Joint List alliance with 13 seats in parliament - the third-largest bloc.

"We are living in Israel, we pay all the taxes and we do everything that they ask of us. But getting our rights depends on the rules that he decides", he said, speaking of Netanyahu.

"The Jews, even those on the left, are far from (having) the problems of the Arabs today."

Turnout boost

Arab Israelis are Palestinians that remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948.

Their number stands at around 1.8 million, making up &nbsp;20 per cent of the population, but they complain of discrimination in the Jewish majority state.

The increased turnout of Arab Israelis and the improved performance of their political parties was a major trend in Tuesday's do-over election, just five months after an indecisive April vote.

In many Arab towns, turnout jumped more than 10 percentage points compared to April due to a combination of improved organisation and opposition to Netanyahu.

In April's election, the four main Arab parties, which range from Communists to Islamists with many variations in-between, split into two groupings, dividing the vote.

The two groupings won only 10 seats in the 120-seat Israeli Parliament.

For Tuesday, they revived the 2015 Joint List under the slogan "More votes, more impact", led by Ayman Odeh, who says he wants a party for both Arabs and Jews and supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Depending on the make-up of the next government, Odeh has a realistic chance to become the country's opposition leader.

In Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, turnout was up by 15 per cent to 55 per cent compared to April.

The Joint List received 91 per cent of that vote -- up from 83 per cent for the two groupings six months ago.

Diana Buttu, a Palestinian political analyst, said the Arab parties had learned a lesson from the bad organisation and division of April's election.

'Get Bibi out'

Dislike of Netanyahu and fear of his right-wing policies served as an important motivating factor.

The longtime leader has been accused of trying to suppress Arab turnout and last year passed a controversial law declaring Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people, in part downgrading the status of Arabic as an official language.

During the 2015 election, he controversially tried to scare his supporters out to the polls by saying Arabs were voting "in droves."

In a taunting reply late Tuesday, Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi tweeted that they had indeed voted "in droves".

Issa, 50, who did not want to give his full name, said that he had been motivated by his dislike of Netanyahu.

"I don’t like the Arab parties. I voted for them to make them strong but they haven’t done anything for us," he said.

"The most important thing is to get Bibi out,” he added, using the common nickname for Netanyahu.

Even after the elections led to another stalemate on Tuesday, raising the possibility of a coalition government. However, Netanyahu warned about including any Arab parties in a potential coalition, saying they "praise bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers, citizens and children".

Buttu said that Netanyahu’s tactics had backfired and helped increase Arab turnout.

In Nazareth, young political activist Fadi Zoabi had helped run a campaign to get voters out.

"They organised cars to take people to the polls", the 21-year-old said.

"The unity of the list is what made people vote more... In the Middle East there is no list that combines communists, nationalists and Islamists", he added.

He was hoping that the gains would lead to cancelling the nation-state law, as well as more economic support for Arab communities.

"The day of the elections is the only day when my voice has the same value as a Jewish Israeli", he said.

Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough.

Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough. "This time I decided to vote only for Arab parties. Why? Because I think that they should be (the ones) representing me", said Farig. An Arab citizen of Israel like most people in the town of Kufr Qassem in central Israel, the 54-year-old was a lifelong supporter of the Israeli Labour Party, dominated by the country's Jewish majority. But he said that he was fed up with Israel's Arab population being the target of constant scorn by the Jewish right. He saw Tuesday's elections as an opportunity to help oust right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, so he switched his vote. He was part of a surge that, according to results so far, show Arab parties running together under the Joint List alliance with 13 seats in parliament - the third-largest bloc. "We are living in Israel, we pay all the taxes and we do everything that they ask of us. But getting our rights depends on the rules that he decides", he said, speaking of Netanyahu. "The Jews, even those on the left, are far from (having) the problems of the Arabs today." Turnout boost Arab Israelis are Palestinians that remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948. Their number stands at around 1.8 million, making up 20 per cent of the population, but they complain of discrimination in the Jewish majority state. The increased turnout of Arab Israelis and the improved performance of their political parties was a major trend in Tuesday's do-over election, just five months after an indecisive April vote. In many Arab towns, turnout jumped more than 10 percentage points compared to April due to a combination of improved organisation and opposition to Netanyahu. In April's election, the four main Arab parties, which range from Communists to Islamists with many variations in-between, split into two groupings, dividing the vote. The two groupings won only 10 seats in the 120-seat Israeli Parliament. For Tuesday, they revived the 2015 Joint List under the slogan "More votes, more impact", led by Ayman Odeh, who says he wants a party for both Arabs and Jews and supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Depending on the make-up of the next government, Odeh has a realistic chance to become the country's opposition leader. In Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, turnout was up by 15 per cent to 55 per cent compared to April. The Joint List received 91 per cent of that vote -- up from 83 per cent for the two groupings six months ago. Diana Buttu, a Palestinian political analyst, said the Arab parties had learned a lesson from the bad organisation and division of April's election. 'Get Bibi out' Dislike of Netanyahu and fear of his right-wing policies served as an important motivating factor. The longtime leader has been accused of trying to suppress Arab turnout and last year passed a controversial law declaring Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people, in part downgrading the status of Arabic as an official language. During the 2015 election, he controversially tried to scare his supporters out to the polls by saying Arabs were voting "in droves." In a taunting reply late Tuesday, Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi tweeted that they had indeed voted "in droves". Issa, 50, who did not want to give his full name, said that he had been motivated by his dislike of Netanyahu. "I don’t like the Arab parties. I voted for them to make them strong but they haven’t done anything for us," he said. "The most important thing is to get Bibi out,” he added, using the common nickname for Netanyahu. Even after the elections led to another stalemate on Tuesday, raising the possibility of a coalition government. However, Netanyahu warned about including any Arab parties in a potential coalition, saying they "praise bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers, citizens and children". Buttu said that Netanyahu’s tactics had backfired and helped increase Arab turnout. In Nazareth, young political activist Fadi Zoabi had helped run a campaign to get voters out. "They organised cars to take people to the polls", the 21-year-old said. "The unity of the list is what made people vote more... In the Middle East there is no list that combines communists, nationalists and Islamists", he added. He was hoping that the gains would lead to cancelling the nation-state law, as well as more economic support for Arab communities. "The day of the elections is the only day when my voice has the same value as a Jewish Israeli", he said.

In a breakthrough, Arab Israelis turn out to vote 'in droves'

Israelis began voting Tuesday in a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-election-voters-to-go-to-polls-in-referendum-on-benjamin-netanyahus-record-reign-208895"> high-stakes election</a> that will decide whether to extend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long right-wing tenure despite corruption allegations or to replace him with an ex-military chief new to politics.

The vote is expected to be close and likely lead to frantic negotiations to form a coalition government once results are in, with opinion polls having shown Netanyahu best placed to do so.

Polls opened at 0400 GMT and were to close at 1900 GMT in most areas, with final results not expected until early Wednesday.

Ex-military chief Benny Gantz has mounted a strong challenge to the veteran prime minister by brandishing his security credentials while pledging to undo the damage he says Netanyahu has inflicted on the country with divisive politics.

The election will be in many ways a referendum on the 69-year-old leader who has built a reputation as the guarantor of the country's security and economic growth, but whose populism and alleged corruption have left many ready for a change.

He has engaged in populist rhetoric throughout the acrimonious campaign that critics say amounts to the demonisation of Arab Israelis and others.

True to form, Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge only three days before the election, saying he planned to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank should he win.

Extending Israeli sovereignty on a large-scale in the West Bank could be the death knell to already fading hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians.

It is a move long-sought by Israel's far-right.

'Need for change'

Netanyahu has also sought to portray himself as Israel's essential statesman, meeting with his close ally US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the run-up to the vote.

He has highlighted Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and of Israel's claim of sovereignty over the Golan Heights, while also saying the US leader is aware of his annexation plans.

"Who else can do this? Who can do this? Come on. Honestly," Netanyahu said in an interview on Sunday with local news site Arutz Sheva.

"Who can stand in front of the world? Who can stand in front of the American Congress? Who can move public opinion in that direction?"

At the same time, he has used Trump-like tactics, calling the corruption investigations a "witch hunt" and denouncing journalists covering them.

On Monday night, he paid a visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall for a last-minute prayer.

Gantz, a 59-year-old former paratrooper who has formed a centrist alliance to challenge Netanyahu, has invoked the corruption allegations against the premier to make his case that it is time for him to go.

He has called Netanyahu's annexation pledge an "irresponsible" bid for right-wing votes.

As for his position on the issue, Gantz says he favours a "globally backed peace agreement" that sees Israel hold on to the large settlement blocs in the West Bank and maintain security control over the territory.

He opposes any unilateral moves.

"There’s a need for change and an opportunity for change," Gantz told Israel's army radio on Monday.

"Israel needs to choose a direction of unification, connection and hope -- or of extremity."

Gantz has sought to overcome Netanyahu's experience and achievements by allying with two other former military chiefs of staff and ex-finance minister Yair Lapid to form his Blue and White alliance.

Neck-and-neck

Opinion polls have given Netanyahu's Likud and Blue and White a similar number of seats in the 120-seat parliament.

Under those polls, both would fall far short of an outright majority -- with around 30 seats each -- and would need to pull together a coalition.

If polling trends hold, Netanyahu would be best placed to build a coalition thanks to smaller right-wing parties allied to him.

But there have been repeated warnings about opinion polls' unreliability in the past and the fact that many voters had said they were undecided.

Should Netanyahu win, he will be on track to surpass founding father David Ben-Gurion as Israel's longest-serving prime minister later this year.

He has been premier for a total of more than 13 years, entrenching himself so firmly at the top that some have labelled him "King Bibi," using his nickname since childhood.

But if he does triumph, he faces the prospect of becoming the first sitting prime minister to be indicted.

The attorney general has announced he intends to indict Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust pending an upcoming hearing.

He is not required to step down if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted.

Israelis began voting Tuesday in a high-stakes election that will decide whether to extend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long right-wing tenure despite corruption allegations or to replace him with an ex-military chief new to politics.

Israelis began voting Tuesday in a high-stakes election that will decide whether to extend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long right-wing tenure despite corruption allegations or to replace him with an ex-military chief new to politics. The vote is expected to be close and likely lead to frantic negotiations to form a coalition government once results are in, with opinion polls having shown Netanyahu best placed to do so. Polls opened at 0400 GMT and were to close at 1900 GMT in most areas, with final results not expected until early Wednesday. Ex-military chief Benny Gantz has mounted a strong challenge to the veteran prime minister by brandishing his security credentials while pledging to undo the damage he says Netanyahu has inflicted on the country with divisive politics. The election will be in many ways a referendum on the 69-year-old leader who has built a reputation as the guarantor of the country's security and economic growth, but whose populism and alleged corruption have left many ready for a change. He has engaged in populist rhetoric throughout the acrimonious campaign that critics say amounts to the demonisation of Arab Israelis and others. True to form, Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge only three days before the election, saying he planned to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank should he win. Extending Israeli sovereignty on a large-scale in the West Bank could be the death knell to already fading hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. It is a move long-sought by Israel's far-right. 'Need for change' Netanyahu has also sought to portray himself as Israel's essential statesman, meeting with his close ally US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the run-up to the vote. He has highlighted Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and of Israel's claim of sovereignty over the Golan Heights, while also saying the US leader is aware of his annexation plans. "Who else can do this? Who can do this? Come on. Honestly," Netanyahu said in an interview on Sunday with local news site Arutz Sheva. "Who can stand in front of the world? Who can stand in front of the American Congress? Who can move public opinion in that direction?" At the same time, he has used Trump-like tactics, calling the corruption investigations a "witch hunt" and denouncing journalists covering them. On Monday night, he paid a visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall for a last-minute prayer. Gantz, a 59-year-old former paratrooper who has formed a centrist alliance to challenge Netanyahu, has invoked the corruption allegations against the premier to make his case that it is time for him to go. He has called Netanyahu's annexation pledge an "irresponsible" bid for right-wing votes. As for his position on the issue, Gantz says he favours a "globally backed peace agreement" that sees Israel hold on to the large settlement blocs in the West Bank and maintain security control over the territory. He opposes any unilateral moves. "There’s a need for change and an opportunity for change," Gantz told Israel's army radio on Monday. "Israel needs to choose a direction of unification, connection and hope -- or of extremity." Gantz has sought to overcome Netanyahu's experience and achievements by allying with two other former military chiefs of staff and ex-finance minister Yair Lapid to form his Blue and White alliance. Neck-and-neck Opinion polls have given Netanyahu's Likud and Blue and White a similar number of seats in the 120-seat parliament. Under those polls, both would fall far short of an outright majority -- with around 30 seats each -- and would need to pull together a coalition. If polling trends hold, Netanyahu would be best placed to build a coalition thanks to smaller right-wing parties allied to him. But there have been repeated warnings about opinion polls' unreliability in the past and the fact that many voters had said they were undecided. Should Netanyahu win, he will be on track to surpass founding father David Ben-Gurion as Israel's longest-serving prime minister later this year. He has been premier for a total of more than 13 years, entrenching himself so firmly at the top that some have labelled him "King Bibi," using his nickname since childhood. But if he does triumph, he faces the prospect of becoming the first sitting prime minister to be indicted. The attorney general has announced he intends to indict Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust pending an upcoming hearing. He is not required to step down if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted.

Israel votes with PM Benjamin Netanyahu's future at stake

In the days ahead of Israel's April 9 elections, activists in the country's north were not trying to convince some residents who to vote for -- but just to vote.

Israel's Arab citizens, who account for some 17.5 per cent of the population, have been engaged in a debate over whether to boycott the upcoming elections.

In 2015, Arab parties ran under one alliance and finished with a historic tally, they won 13 seats out of 120 parliament, making them the third-largest force.

But this year the Arab population is facing their own divisions in addition to hostility from Israel's right-wing and questions over whether participating in the elections in the past has brought any real benefit.

There have long been boycott calls by Israeli Arabs, but the debate has taken on renewed relevance.

"Successive Israeli governments have ostracised the Arab population," Sondos Saleh, a candidate for the Hadash-Taal alliance of Arab parties, told a group of around 100 supporters in the old city of Acre recently.

"Our struggle must not be absent from parliament. The laws are made there. If Arabs boycott the elections, Israel's government will choose Arabs to represent it and who will speak in our name."

Arab Israeli hip-hop star Tamer Nafar has also joined the fight, releasing a song and video calling on people to vote.

"Either we vote or we end up being expelled from the homeland," he sings as the video shows him in a boxing ring with a double of himself to illustrate the debate.

'When the martyrs vote'

But those opposed have made their message known as well.

In the Arab district of the coastal city of Haifa, campaign posters were defaced in red with the words: "I will go to vote when the martyrs will vote", in a reference to those killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinians often venerate those killed in the conflict -- including those who were carrying out attacks against Israelis -- as martyrs to their cause.

Arab Israelis are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948.

Most are Muslim, though some are Druze and Christian.&nbsp;

They hold Israeli citizenship -- and as a result, have the right to vote -- but are largely supportive of the Palestinian cause and say they face blatant discrimination.

Nearly 50 per cent of Arab Israelis lived under the poverty line in 2015, while the poverty rate among other groups in Israel, excluding ultra-Orthodox Jews, was 13.5 per cent, according to the OECD.

In 2015, turnout among Arab voters was 64 per cent, compared to 72 per cent for all Israelis.

"For now, Arab turnout is estimated at 51 per cent," said A'as al-Atrash, an analyst based in Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel.

Those between 18 and 30 are the most likely to favour a boycott, and young people have campaigned against voting on social media, he says.

They name divisions among Arab parties and frustration with what they see as a lack of concrete achievements in parliament in the past.

This year, Arab politicians have formed two lists: Hadash-Taal and Raam-Balad.

Hadash-Taal, a secular list led by longtime politician Ayman Odeh, is polling higher than Raam-Balad, which is an alliance between an Arab nationalist party and an Islamic movement.

'And only it'

Alif Sabbagh, a researcher and activist, defended boycotting at the same rally where Saleh spoke in Acre.

He spoke of three categories of non-voters: those who have always refused to vote because they see Israel as an "occupying and colonial state"; those who decry the lack of achievements by Arab MPs; and those frustrated by recent laws they view as discriminatory.

In 2018, Israel's parliament, or Knesset, passed a law declaring the country the nation-state of the Jewish people.

The law has provoked fears among the non-Jewish population that they have been legally made second-tier citizens.

They say the law favours the country's Jewish nature over its democratic one and the principle of equal rights.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exacerbated those fears with comments during the campaign on the law in which he said Israel was "not a state of all its citizens".

"According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people -- and only it," he wrote on Instagram, though added that Arabs have equal rights.

Arab parties have again served as a foil for the right during the campaign, as occurred in 2015 when Netanyahu warned on election day that Arabs were going to the polls "in droves."

Much of the right sees the Arab parties as an anti-Israeli "fifth column".

Right-wing candidate Oren Hazan even released a video borrowing a scene from the spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" showing him shoot Arab parliament member Jamal Zahalka.

However, according to estimates by al-Atrash, "25 percent to 30 percent of Arab votes will go to Zionist parties", compared with 15 to 16 percent in 2015.

In the days ahead of Israel's April 9 elections, activists in the country's north were not trying to convince some residents who to vote for -- but just to vote.

In the days ahead of Israel's April 9 elections, activists in the country's north were not trying to convince some residents who to vote for -- but just to vote. Israel's Arab citizens, who account for some 17.5 per cent of the population, have been engaged in a debate over whether to boycott the upcoming elections. In 2015, Arab parties ran under one alliance and finished with a historic tally, they won 13 seats out of 120 parliament, making them the third-largest force. But this year the Arab population is facing their own divisions in addition to hostility from Israel's right-wing and questions over whether participating in the elections in the past has brought any real benefit. There have long been boycott calls by Israeli Arabs, but the debate has taken on renewed relevance. "Successive Israeli governments have ostracised the Arab population," Sondos Saleh, a candidate for the Hadash-Taal alliance of Arab parties, told a group of around 100 supporters in the old city of Acre recently. "Our struggle must not be absent from parliament. The laws are made there. If Arabs boycott the elections, Israel's government will choose Arabs to represent it and who will speak in our name." Arab Israeli hip-hop star Tamer Nafar has also joined the fight, releasing a song and video calling on people to vote. "Either we vote or we end up being expelled from the homeland," he sings as the video shows him in a boxing ring with a double of himself to illustrate the debate. 'When the martyrs vote' But those opposed have made their message known as well. In the Arab district of the coastal city of Haifa, campaign posters were defaced in red with the words: "I will go to vote when the martyrs will vote", in a reference to those killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians often venerate those killed in the conflict -- including those who were carrying out attacks against Israelis -- as martyrs to their cause. Arab Israelis are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948. Most are Muslim, though some are Druze and Christian. They hold Israeli citizenship -- and as a result, have the right to vote -- but are largely supportive of the Palestinian cause and say they face blatant discrimination. Nearly 50 per cent of Arab Israelis lived under the poverty line in 2015, while the poverty rate among other groups in Israel, excluding ultra-Orthodox Jews, was 13.5 per cent, according to the OECD. In 2015, turnout among Arab voters was 64 per cent, compared to 72 per cent for all Israelis. "For now, Arab turnout is estimated at 51 per cent," said A'as al-Atrash, an analyst based in Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel. Those between 18 and 30 are the most likely to favour a boycott, and young people have campaigned against voting on social media, he says. They name divisions among Arab parties and frustration with what they see as a lack of concrete achievements in parliament in the past. This year, Arab politicians have formed two lists: Hadash-Taal and Raam-Balad. Hadash-Taal, a secular list led by longtime politician Ayman Odeh, is polling higher than Raam-Balad, which is an alliance between an Arab nationalist party and an Islamic movement. 'And only it' Alif Sabbagh, a researcher and activist, defended boycotting at the same rally where Saleh spoke in Acre. He spoke of three categories of non-voters: those who have always refused to vote because they see Israel as an "occupying and colonial state"; those who decry the lack of achievements by Arab MPs; and those frustrated by recent laws they view as discriminatory. In 2018, Israel's parliament, or Knesset, passed a law declaring the country the nation-state of the Jewish people. The law has provoked fears among the non-Jewish population that they have been legally made second-tier citizens. They say the law favours the country's Jewish nature over its democratic one and the principle of equal rights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exacerbated those fears with comments during the campaign on the law in which he said Israel was "not a state of all its citizens". "According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people -- and only it," he wrote on Instagram, though added that Arabs have equal rights. Arab parties have again served as a foil for the right during the campaign, as occurred in 2015 when Netanyahu warned on election day that Arabs were going to the polls "in droves." Much of the right sees the Arab parties as an anti-Israeli "fifth column". Right-wing candidate Oren Hazan even released a video borrowing a scene from the spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" showing him shoot Arab parliament member Jamal Zahalka. However, according to estimates by al-Atrash, "25 percent to 30 percent of Arab votes will go to Zionist parties", compared with 15 to 16 percent in 2015.

To vote or not to vote? The question facing Arab Israelis ahead of elections

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In a breakthrough, Arab Israelis turn out to vote 'in droves'

Israel votes with PM Benjamin Netanyahu's future at stake

To vote or not to vote? The question facing Arab Israelis ahead of elections